Today starts my second week of The Declaration of You ecourse! I can't believe a full week has already passed. I already feel so behind in my class...but I know I will catch up soon. There are just so many wonderfully talented ladies to meet and discussions to be had and questions to be asked and things to declare!!!! It's pure joy.

Jessica Swift and Michelle Ward have already had me thinking so much about my life, about what makes it special. It has me thinking about all of the things that make me, well ME, and all of those things that I need to change to be my authentic self. It has me thinking about my relationships with other people, too. Do they see the person I think they are seeing? Am I always putting my best foot forward? Does what I think about myself match the person that I am putting out there in the world?

I'm beginning to realize that I'm not always, 100% the person that I want to be. I know that there are things that I can do to be what we call Authentic. I feel like sometimes in the past, I have given up little bits of who I am to fit in better with others. But the beauty of it is, that I really don't have to fit in!! I should want to stand out! And all of those things that are who I am? Those things are real. Those things are what make me unique and happy and beautiful, regardless of what others may have to think or say about it.

{Sing Out Loud Every Day by pleasebestill}

So today, I want to declare some of the things that make me unique, that give me enthusiasm for life!!

• I love to help people, to give, to make others feel better, to solve problems if it'll make their life easier...even the people who may not like me. I can't help myself. I'm a giver.
• I love life. I appreciate the little things, the big things.
• I get emotional. I feel things with my soul, and sometimes, I get overwhelmed...and I cry. And I'm okay with that. :)
• I'm what corporate business people like to call "A Millenial"- I like to multitask and do several things at once. This doesn't mean that I don't give things my full attention or that I don't do a good job. When it comes to work, I don't stop. I complete every detail to the best of my ability...which brings me to my next point:
•  ...I'm also a people pleaser.
• I'm extremely shy around people I don't know. I know this is something I need to work on if I want to sell my goods at craft fairs someday...but I'm much better than I used to be already!
• I LOVE food. Luckily, I also have good genes and was blessed with a high metabolism.
• If I like something, I probably will never tire of it. I could watch the same movie, listen to the same song, love the same things...over and over and over again.
• I'm incredibly short. Shorter than your average 12 year old. The important people don't care. It has never stopped me.
• I have the best family, friends, boyfriend, and lovable pups that any person could be blessed with. I am thankful every moment for every single one of them.
• I am an artist, a creator, a maker of things. The day I stop doing any of these things, is the day that I will stop living. Making things breathes life into my soul.
• I love downhill skiing, but I haven't done it in a long while. It used to be one of the only things that got me through the dreaded Michigan winters. I miss it so much!
• There are so many things that I want to do in life, that I want to give to the world.
• Pizza goldfish are my favorite snack. They have been since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Recently, ALL of my local grocery stores have stopped carrying them. I was devastated...but I'm on a mission to find them!
• If nobody stopped me, I would eat cereal for every meal and be completely content.
• I get really excited and involved in the things that make me happy. I hope someday to surround myself with other people that are like me.

That's all for now! I love how much this class has me thinking and feeling and growing. I'm currently working on a list of goals and "wants" and I can't wait to put them into action. But for now, I want to share an important message from Popcorny:

{Keep On Being You by Popcorny}

Before I begin today's posts, I would like to apologize for missing Friday's book recommendation. I did have a bit of a tragic event happen, and it took me a few days to get myself back on track. This week, I will be doing a few extra posts to make up for it! There will be TWO posts today, and two books for you on Friday. So with that said, here you go!

 

I have decided to join in on the conversation over at Spring and Spring Into Action! I'm doing a little bit of catch up, so today I'll be posting their first two challenges. Here we go!

{You Are Perfect Just the Way You Are by Jessica Swift}

What Makes You Authentically You?

To start with the obvious: I am kid-sized. hehe. I'm incredibly short, and pretty petite in general. I've run into some obstacles in life because of it...but this simple fact has completely changed the way that I see the world.

I like to think that I see things as a child would, with my eyes wide open. I see the good and the bad, both in people and in the world...but I choose to focus on the good, on the things that bring joy. I have accepted all of my so-called imperfections, because that is what sets me apart and that is what will also help me to stand out in the world.

I like to think there are some things that I can do, that might be more difficult for others...and I don't mean this in a negative way. At 26, I am still pretty awesome at hide-and-seek and I'm pretty sure I could go trick-or-treating and no one would be the wiser.

{Just Be You by dazeychic}

Besides the obvious, I like to create things and most of the time it comes naturally to me in comparison to a lot of other things I've done in life. I love to draw, paint, print, sew, design, and most things that involve a creative process. I like to figure out how most people do things, and then find a way to make it work...for me.

Regardless of what I love to do, or what I look like, I am a lover of life and a giver by nature. I thrive on personal growth and helping others feed their passions. I live for spreading joy.

 

What Makes YOU Authentically You? I know the girls over on Spring would love for you to join in on the conversation! I would also love to hear what you have to say.

I am quite happy to shout from the rooftops that I have enrolled in The Declaration of You ecourse. Lately, I've been discovering things about myself that I wasn't aware of before. I'm anticipating the start of the course and the beginning of my journey to create my very own Manifesto.

Michelle Ward and Jessica Swift are such brilliant ladies, and I hope to learn a lot from their example. I met Michelle in the latest session of Blogging Your Way. It was clear from the beginning that she knew who she was and where she was going. While I think that I'm beginning to have an understanding of these things about myself, I feel like her guidance could give me a real push in the right direction. Jessica Swift I was lucky enough to meet at the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago. I walked up to her booth and was encouraged by her energetic spirit, her aura of "I love what I do and I'm here to do it." I thought about the messages both of these women were presenting, in all aspects of their lives, and I knew that someday I could be in that same boat with them, paddling out to this "secret" island of Authenticity and Embracing all that is You.

I can't tell you how much in my life, my attitude, my outlook has changed just in the past month. I've been connecting with so many powerful and inspiring women. I really hope that I can be a peer amongst them someday soon. 

I hope you will look into The Declaration of You if you too are looking for something more. You can also find Michelle and Jessica on Spring, where they have so many lovely and motivational things to say. Sitting down to read the posts on Spring is truly one of my favorite parts of the day.